Socket structure for trestles



March 29, 1955 R. K. SQUIRE SOCKET STRUCTURE FOR TRESTLES Filed Nov. 3, 1950 United States Patent 2,705,174 SOCKET STRUCTURE FOR TRESTLES Robert K. Squire, Los Augeles, Calif. Application November 3, 1950, Serial No. 193,888 2 Claims. (Cl. 304-) This invention relates to the construction of scaffolding, and especially to temporary structures of this character. 1

Such structures are required, for example, by the build ing trades, for lasterers, painters, or the like.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive trestle structure for this purpose.

It is another object of this invention to provide a socket member capable of detachably joining wood pieces together to form a jack or trestle upon which a platform may be supported. f

It is still another object of this invention to provide a device of this character that is easily and quickly assembled and disassembled.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a structure of this character that permits ready height adjustment within limits.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. The form will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since thescope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a pictorial view illustrating the invention in use for supporting a platform;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken along a plane corresponding to line 44 of Fig. 2, with a part ofthe wood structure being removed.

The trestle includes four wood pieces 1, 2, 3, and 4 forming the legs, and a cross wood mmeber 19. These wood pieces may all be standard two-by-fours. The legs 1 an]? 2, as well as legs 3 and 4, converge upwardly.

T ese members 5, 6, 26 and 27. Since the clamping and supporting structure is similar for both the pairs of legs 1 and 2, and legs 3 and 4, it is necessary to describe only one of these structures.

Thus, the socket members 5 and 6 may have a rectangular configuration having axes 7 and 8 (Fig. 2) that converge upwardly, corresponding to the converging of the legs. The legs 1 and 2 may be clamped tightly within the sockets 5 and 6 by the aid of the clamping screws 9, provided with appropriate handles and extending respectively through a threaded boss 13 attached to a wall of each of the sockets.

The sockets 5 and 6 are rigidly fastened together by the aid of a frame having the converging arms 10 and 1.1.

legs are firmly clamped within tubular socket The arms extend upwardly beyond the sockets 5 ande."

They may be conveniently formed of angle irons. A strut member 12 also formed of angle iron joins the lower ends of these converging arms 10 and 11. The socket members 5 and 6 are firmly attached to these arms as by welding. The strut 12 is also attached to the arms 10 and 11 as by welding. 4

As shown in Fig. 3, the axes of the sockets are slightly off vertical. Since the other sockets 26, 27 are also similarly angled, the effect is to stabilize the entire trestle structure.

The upper ends of the arms spaced parallel ears 14 and 10 and 11 terminate in 15. Connecting the lower cured to one of the frame members;

ends of these ears is a rest member 16 an angle iron. Ear 15 is provided with which a clamping screw 18 is threaded.

The transverse wood support 19 extends between the ears 14 and 15, and rests upon the rest 16. The clamping screw 18 can be tightened to hold this member 19 firmly in place.

A supplemental frame is provided, including the converging arms 20 and 21. These arms are conveniently formed integrally with arms 10 and 11, respectively. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, one flange of the angle iron forming each set of arms 10, 20, and 11, 21 may begslotted to permit the bending operation. The lines 30 indicate where triangular portions of the flange have been re moved for pemiitting this bending operation. .t

Arms 20 and 21 terminate at their upper ends; in the parallel ears 22 and 23. The ear 23 is provided with a clamping screw 24, which is threaded into a boss 31 formed on the ear. An angle iron rest 25 joins the lower portions of the ears 22 and 23. The wood 'memer 19 is also accommodated between the ears 22 and 23.

In use, the member 19 and the wood pieces 1, 2, 3, and 4 are assembled, as indicated in Fig. 1, in sockets 5, 6, 26, and 27. The pieces of wood 1, 2, 3, and;'.4 may be of any desired length, so as to provide a support for the planks 28 forming a platform or scafiording, and resting on member 19. As many of the jacks or-t restles shown in Fig. 1 may be used as are required for adequately supporting the platform 28.

In order to insure against lengthwise movementof the member 19, nails 29 may be driven through the cars 14, 15, 22 and 23.

Adjustment of the height of the platform may be accomplished by adjusting the position of the wood {pieces 1 and 2 in the sockets 5 and 6 and the wood pit ces 3 and 4 in the sockets 26 and 27. The amount of adjustment corresponds to the clearance between the tops 0! the socket members and the lower ends of the transverse piece 19. f

In order to disassemble the structure. the clamping screws 9, 18, and 24 may be released and the wood pieces removed from the sockets and from between the pairs of cars l4-15 and 23-23.

The inventor claims:

1. In a device of the character described: a pair of in tegral frame members each comprising arms inclined to each other; a first rest member rigidly joining and spacing respectively one of the arms of each of the frame members, and defining with the ends of said arms so joined a channel shaped space; a second rest member rigidly joining and spacing respectively the other arms of the frame members, and defining with the ends of said arms so joined a second channel shaped space; a first tubular open ended socket element of rectangular configuration and sea second tubular open ended socket element of rectangular configuration and secured to the other of the frame members; the projection of the axes of said elements into the plane of the frame members to which they are joined being inclined with respect to a line joining said rest members in said planes respectively; and a strut member rigidly secured to said frame members respectively remote from said rest members, said stmt member being of such length as to incline said axes of said socket elements with respect to each other.

2. In a device of the character described: a pair of intergral frame members each comprising arms inclined to each other; a first rest member rigidly joining and spacing respectively one of the arms of each of the frame members, and defining with the ends of said arms so joined a channel shaped space; a second rest member rigidly joining and spacing respectively the other arms of the frame members, and defining with the ends of said arms so joined a second channel shaped space: a first tubular open ended socket element of rectangular configuration and secured to one of the framemembers at the apex thereof, the axis of said first element being substantially parallel to the plane of said one frame member and inclined to a line joining said rest members in said plane, said axis of said first element being intermediate said arms of said one frame member; a second tubular also formed of a boss 17 into open ended socket element of rectangular configuration and secured to the other of the frame members "at the r apex thereof, the axis of said second element being substantially parallel to the plane of said other frame member and inclined to a line joining said rest members in said plane, said axis of said second element being intermediate said arms of said other frame member; a strut rigidly secured to said frame members respectively at the apices thereof, said strut member being of a greater length than said rest members to incline said axes of said socket elements with respect to each other; and clamping screws passing respectively through the walls of said socket elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES" PATENTS Jaquess July 11, 1893 Porten Dec. 12, 1899 Guthat July 18, 1916 Collier Dec. 19, 1922 Kacena Nov. 21, 1933 Thomson Aug. 24, 1937 

